


The Allure of Darkness

by Loveyou3000Klaroline



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: BAMF Caroline Forbes, Caroline Forbes & Damon Salvatore Friendship, Caroline Forbes & Stefan Salvatore Friendship, Caroline Forbes-centric, F/M, Hybrid Klaus Mikaelson, Jealous Klaus Mikaelson, Klaus Mikaelson Has A Heart, Minor Bonnie Bennett/Jeremy Gilbert, Minor Caroline Forbes/Tyler Lockwood, Minor Elena Gilbert/Stefan Salvatore, Protective Klaus Mikaelson, Vampire Caroline Forbes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:35:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28437735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loveyou3000Klaroline/pseuds/Loveyou3000Klaroline
Summary: “Anything that’s worth anything is dangerous.”Or...Klaus Mikaelson is the big bad hybrid, but he is the only one who can make Caroline’s world stable. Especially after the lie of her life gets unraveled.
Relationships: Bonnie Bennett/Kol Mikaelson, Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson, Elena Gilbert/Damon Salvatore, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 35
Kudos: 46





	1. The Prophecy

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you guys like this!! Please vote, comment, and subscribe!

There is a prophecy:

𝑇𝑤𝑜 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛, 𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑛 𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑘, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑒𝑡 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒.

𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑚𝑒𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠. 𝐼𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛, 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑤𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑘 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝘸𝘢𝘳.

𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑐 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟, 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑎𝑙 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯.

𝐼𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑦 𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑎 𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑔𝑜𝑑.

𝐴𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒, 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒.

Very few knew the true meaning, but then again very few even know about its existence.

A family full of power, but not by blood. Has once destroyed its very existence, but now with the prophecy unveiling; the time has come for the light and darkness to meet.

Will they unite and have peace or fall apart and have chaos?


	2. The Departed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the start of the unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!

Here we go, at the start

We're not friends, never were

What you want, I will not give you

~Wicked: AVIVA

_____________________________________

Lie: to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive.

Everything in her life had been a lie.

She was living a lie.

She was a lie.

Caroline wasn’t always aware of the lie. She had her childhood, which of course it wasn’t perfect.

The lie wasn’t even reviled when she turned. She kept her life and learned to survive. Learned how to fight for what she wants, and not let her insecurities get in the way of things like she used to.

Her life was crazy, but she is a vampire after all. Tortured by Wolves? Check. Tortured by her father? Check. Best friend needed for a sacrifice? Check.

Kidnapped by her teacher? She can finally check it off the list. The difference from this one and the others, well it’s simple.

Something good came from the unknown.

Caroline will later say, ‘This is where the truth started to come out. It’s also around the time I started comprehending just how gray the world truly is.”

The burning feel of vervain heavy upon her skin was the first thing she became aware of. The creek in her neck the second. Caroline let’s out a strangled groan as she lifts her head up. She remembers talking to Rebekah, before Alaric had attacked. After that it’s blank.

Tears slip out of her eyes, as she whimpers against the pencils in her hands and the vervain. Caroline heard Alaric on the phone, “Listen closely, I'm at the school, I have Caroline, and if you want to keep her alive, I need you to get in your car and come down here right away. If you tell anyone where you are going, I will kill her.”

He hangs up the phone, walking closer to Caroline. She tries to look up at him, but a blurry figure behind him emerges. Getting a good look, Caroline eyes go wide.

Alaric smirks, looking down at the blonde. She glances to the figure, who shakes his head mouthing, ‘Look at your hands. Not me.’

She looks down at her hands, while trying to hide her cries of pain. She can’t seem to figure out if the tears are for her pain or because of the situation.

Sure, she’s used to the torture. Whether mental or physical, but she wasn’t prepared for the lies. Or the ghost of Mikael Mikaelson that only she could see.

_____________________________________

Elena made it to the school in 10 minutes. Within those ten minutes, Mikael had made himself comfortable at the desk on the left of Caroline.

For most of the time, he was just observing. Occasionally he would make a sarcastic comment towards Alaric or tell Caroline to stop looking at him.

Alaric made himself comfortable behind his desk. Staring down at the white oak stake. Almost as if he was in some sort of trance. He glances up smirking as Elena enters the hallway, “Right on time.”

The brunette walks down the hallway, looking around as she hears Caroline crying. Upon entering the classroom, she sees Caroline tied up to the chair. Elena whispers, “Caroline.” Turning towards Alaric she continues, “Let her go, Alaric!”

Mikael chuckles, as Caroline tries to ignore him, focusing on Elena. “So demanding.”

Alaric smirks, while pointing towards Caroline. “Free her yourself.” Elena stares at her only father figure, before she cautiously walks over to Caroline.

Elena gets down and strokes Caroline's arm soothingly. She starts to gently pull the pencil out of one of Caroline's hands, but Alaric comes up and slams the pencil back down into her hand.

Caroline screams out in pain as Mikael moves to a standing position. Elena stands up yelling, “You said that you would let her go!”

Alaric scoffs, “How many times do I have to tell you, Elena? Stop trusting vampires!”

Mikael moves forward unnoticed as a ghost, till he gets down in front of Caroline. He looks over the damage to her hands, before mumbling impassively, “Everyone in this girl's life is a damn vampire.”

_____________________________________

Alaric was alive, which meant he had the one weapon that could kill Klaus. He even attacked Rebekah at the school.

Klaus was pissed. He needed to get out of town before nightfall, but because of the doppelgänger. He couldn’t leave until he gets her blood.

He also wanted to see the blonde vampire, he would never admit to that.

The problem he stood facing was simple. The Scooby-Doo gang wouldn’t let him inside the Gilbert house. He started by kicking a soccer ball through the window. Next, was two fence pickets.

Finally, it leads him to walking up the Gilbert porch with a propane tank and a newspaper, ‘Torch’. Stefan comes up to the front door, calmly stating, “Put it out.”

Klaus growls, “Come outside and make me.”

Stefan steps outside, “Elena's not here. Alaric has her and Caroline, and he's gonna kill them both unless you turn yourself over to him.”

Klaus freezes, before he throws down the newspaper and drops the propane tank in a fit of rage. “Now, I know you're not asking me to walk into a certain death.”

Stefan sighs, “I really wish we could. But unfortunately, if Alaric kills you there's a one in four chance that we die too.”

Damon walks out of the house, with a picket over his shoulder. “I'll take those odds.”

Stefan glares at Damon, “And a hundred percent chance that Tyler dies.”

Damon shrugs, “I'm good with that too.”

Stefan shakes his head, “Why don't we just figure out a way to put Alaric down?”

Klaus and Stefan start pacing outside, while Damon is leaning against the picket. Klaus stops and turns around, “Okay, how about Damon sneaks in and distracts Alaric, while Stefan grabs Elena and carries her to safety?” While he gets Caroline.

Damon frowns, “Huh, that's a great idea. What's to stop me from getting killed instantly?”

“Nothing.”

Damon scoffs, “Caroline's in there. Don't you have a thing for her? Or did she just reject you too many times?”

Klaus takes a threatening step forward, before Stefan gets between them. “This isn't really helping too much.”

Bonnie walks out of the house, “I might have an idea. My mom used a desiccation spell on Mikael that immobilized him for over 15 years. If I can get it, I might be able to use it on Alaric.”

Klaus rolls his eyes, “If and might? Your words inspire such confidence.”

Bonnie replies clearly, “I'll get it. But even with the spell, we'll need a lot of vampire muscle to take him down. Including yours.”

Klaus turns around, “Just so we're clear, the sun sets in about eight hours. If we don't succeed before then, Elena will be dead, I'll be gone, and the rest of you will be left to fend for yourselves.” An Caroline will be safe with me.

_____________________________________

Mikael stands steadily beside Caroline, while Alaric dips the cloth into a beaker of vervain. The skin around Caroline's mouth is red and is starting to be peeled away. Alaric walks back to her.

Caroline groans, “No, no more, please, no more!” She ignores the way Mikael’s hand lays on her arm, as he tries to get her to control her breathing.

Elena gets up exclaiming, “Alaric stop!”

He pushes the brown net back into her seat. “Sit down! This keeps the vervain in her system. It's like inhaling razor blades with every breath.”

Alaric puts the cloth back in Caroline's mouth. Her skin begins to smoke and burn, while she cries and screams in pain. Elena touches her arm, “Why are you doing this?”

“To make it easier on you when you put her out of her misery.”

Alaric picks up the white oak stake and walks towards Elena, “What?! No!”

“Isn't this what you wanted, Elena? For me to teach you how to kill a vampire?” Alaric holds out the white oak stake towards her, “Well, here's a vampire, Elena. Kill her.”

Elena shakes her head, “This isn't what I want.”

Alaric nods, “Of course it is. All those hours you spent training, getting stronger, you could be a hunter, Elena. But you've never actually staked a vampire through the heart.”

He persistently holds out the stake, as she stares at it. Mikael rolls his eyes at the vampire, before focusing on Caroline. “Don’t listen to him. The Calvary’s coming, and you're going to be just fine.”

_____________________________________

Klaus and Stefan walk closer to the group in silence. Both pondering over the events that could occur.

The hybrid really just wanted to leave. Leave the doppelgänger to the Salvatore brothers and save himself.

He couldn’t leave.

He couldn’t leave Caroline behind.

Klaus knows that the brother will focus on the doppelgänger, while the witch will focus on the possible chance that the Hunter could die.

Who will focus on Caroline?

Klaus and Stefan walk up to the rest of the group, “Look at this, one big, happy family.”

Bonnie sighs, while she pulls out a small vial with her blood. “Drink this. It's my blood. It bridges us all together so that when I stop Jeremy's heart, you'll have the power to stop Alaric's. You need to make a physical connection to his bloodstream; a vein, artery, something connected to his heart.”

Damon drinks some blood out of the vial and hands it to Stefan, who asks, “If one of us gets a clean shot, take it, the other two: hold him down.”

Stefan takes a swig of the blood and passes it to Klaus. He replies, “Before we all walk through these doors, let's get on the same page, shall we?”

Klaus pauses, making sure there all paying attention, “I was the one who created your vampire bloodline, therefore I am responsible for your lives and Tyler's life, Caroline's life, and of course, Abby's life, should anything go wrong.”

Damon scoffs, “Or you're just lying to save your ass.”

Klaus shakes his head, “I'm not lying. But go ahead, call my bluff, let the teacher kill me. You'll all be dead soon thereafter.”

Klaus drinks the remainder of the blood, while Stefan asks, “Let's just get this over with, shall we?” The sooner he can get to Caroline.

_____________________________________

In the classroom, Caroline is still staked down to a desk, with Elena is in the desk next to her; while Alaric paces in front of them. Elena asks, “Why are you doing this?”

Alaric scoffs, “Because you need me. Because you're an eighteen-year-old girl without parents or guidance or any sense of right and wrong anymore.”

Mikael bends down in front of Caroline. She whimpers, while trying to hold back sobs. The original whispers, “Listen to me, Caroline. The others are here, and are coming. But Caroline, when you get the chance. Run. Don’t hesitate.”

She mutely nods, while Elena yells at Alaric, “Look at you. How is this right?!”

Alaric exclaims, while pointing to Caroline. “She's a murderer. She told me she killed someone and liked it. Now how is that right?”

Mikael scoffs, while smirking towards Caroline. “I bet if he went to feed in a human, there would be no way he could pull away and complete them to go away.”

Alaric continues, “Listen, Elena, your parents led the council. It was their life's mission to keep this town safe. They weren't dead six months before you undid it all.”

Elena scoffs, “You don't know anything about them.”

“Why, am I wrong? Do you actually think that they'd be proud of you?” Alaric kneels down in front of Elena, “If you don't side with the humans, you're just as bad as them. Now kill her.”

Alaric hands her the stake, “Or I'll do it for you and I'll make it hurt. Get up!” He grabs Elena's arm and pulls her out of her seat. He places her in front of Caroline and forces the stake into her hand.

Elena stands there with the stake in her hand for a moment, then turns around and tries to stab Alaric. He grabs her wrist before she can, “I thought I taught you better than that.”

“You did.”

Elena breaks the beaker filled with vervain over Alaric's head making him scream out in pain as his flesh starts to burn. Elena releases Caroline calling out, “Get help!”

Caroline hesitates by the door, but Mikael growls, “Run.”

_____________________________________ 

Caroline races out into the hallway, as her heart beats wildly in her ears. She looks backwards trying to see Elena, when someone grabs her from behind.

He covers her mouth, stopping anyone from hearing her scream. Klaus whispers, “Shhh. It's okay, it's okay. It's me.”

Klaus pulls her closer, while taking his hand off her mouth. Still whispering he replies, “It's okay, you're safe. We'll save Elena. You go straight home. You stay inside, do you understand?”

He turns Caroline around, seeing the burn marks left upon her face. He feels angry. Anger he’s never felt before. Anger he doesn’t know how to control.

“Do you understand me?”

Caroline weakly nods, “Thank you.”

They stare at each other, losing themselves in the others eyes. Caroline doesn’t notice how close they truly were.

She doesn’t think. She just does what feels right. Grabbing his bicep lightly, she pulls their lips together.

It’s not rough, more soft and delicate.

Klaus gently pulls her closer, sucking on her bottom lip. He tries to ignore the way the vervain taste gets in his mouth, but he lets his anger towards Alaric drive him to pull away.

Caroline sucks in a breath of air, when she steps back. Klaus grips her hands gently, taking in the holes that still haven’t healed from the vervain pencils.

Klaus nods, “You're going to go home. Stay inside till it’s safe.” He flashes away, Caroline stands there trying to ignore the way her heart stills.

_____________________________________ 

Caroline stares numbly out the window of her bedroom. She had kissed Klaus, and liked it. She liked the way his lips felt against hers.

But she had Tyler.

Or at least she thought she did. He’s been different ever since turning into a hybrid. Colder, more cocky. Like how he was before all the vampires came to town.

Plus, Stefan had called. Instead of everyone going to kill Alaric. They decided to put down Klaus. The one person who could take Alaric down.

Instead of crying or screaming like she wanted to. She held a party, because that’s what everyone expected her to do. They had defeated the great hybrid, and she was supposed to be happy.

Except, she wasn’t happy.

On top of all that, she had a ghost problem. The ghost of Mikael Mikaelson. The Original Hunter. The Destroyer. He didn’t seem to be trying to cause trouble, instead he seemed to be helping her.

Giving her different techniques to keep her breathing calm, because of the vervain cloth. Distracting her from Alaric and the pain.

Caroline knows that she should tell someone, like Bonnie, but she also knows that everyone else needs to focus on the current situation.

Alaric.

Caroline whips a tear off from her face, when a voice calls out. “How was the party? You don’t look so good right now.”

She turns around sharply exclaiming, “How the hell can I see you?”

Mikael smirks, “Deflecting the question with a question. Smart.”

Caroline rolls her eyes, “You're avoiding the question.”

Mikael huffs, while walking forward. “Well, if you must know. I made a deal.”

“A deal? What type of deal? With whom?”

Mikael stands directly in front of her, making her take a small step back. “That doesn’t matter right now. All you need to know, is that you can’t get rid of me, and I’m only here to help.”

Caroline frowns, shaking her head, “Help? With what?” She takes a step forward, but her phone vibrates on the nightstand. She huffs, walking over reading the message. Caroline gasp, “Elena’s in the hospital.”

_____________________________________ 

Nothing was going right. Alaric was out in the open, and out to kill. Elena had been put in the hospital, but luckily was able to come home with just some needed rest.

Caroline had spent most of the night ignoring Mikael, the fact that she kissed Klaus, and memories of Alaric in the classroom. She put all her attention into helping Elena, and getting her home safe and sound. Expect she got a very frightening phone call from her mom, which now leaves her to picking up Tyler and rushing towards the Lockwood Mansion. Caroline rushes into the house, with Tyler calling out, “Mom?”

Carol perks up at the sound of her sons voice, stepping forward, “In here!” Running into the room, Caroline panics seeing the anxious look on her mother’s face.

They really didn’t need any other problems to deal with. Not with Alaric coming after everyone’s head, especially the vampires. “Mom?” Caroline frown intensifies as her mother lets out a breath of relief.

Tyler glances at both of the older women curiously, “What's going on?”

Carol walks up to her son, sighing in exhaustion. “Alaric outed us to the council. He told them everything. The whole council knows what you are.”

Sheriff Forbes comes up beside her, “He's got them looking for Klaus, and then they're gonna come looking for you. You can't be here when they do.”

Caroline frowns asking, “What are you saying?” 

Mikael appears behind the worried blonde mother. Liz replies, “You both need to get out of town.” 

Caroline tries not to stare at the new figure in the room, she looks at Carol Lockwood who continues, “I pulled together some cash and Liz will get you some new identification, and we'll get school records...”

Tyler scoffs, not comprehending the situation. “Woah, wait a minute, you want us to run?”

Mikael calmly leans against the wall behind them, but he stares at Caroline. And states darkly, “Your not running.” 

Caroline’s eyes go wide, and her mother walks forward trying to calm her. “We can't protect you anymore.”

Caroline ignores Mikael, focusing on her mother, while exclaiming; “Well, we can't just pack up and leave!”

Carol sighs, “If you stay, you're going to end up dead. You don't have a choice.”

Mikael scoffs, “The mutt can run from his problems, but I’m not letting you leave Mystic Falls, little girl.” Caroline looks over at her mom exasperated. Liz shakes her head, indicating that there is no other choice. 

_____________________________________ 

She didn’t want to leave. 

Caroline frowns, as she paces around the room anxiously. Turning towards Tyler, who’s staring numbly at the fire burning in the study. She exclaims, “We can't just leave town.”

Tyler shakes his head, completely disagreeing with her statement. “Yes, we can.”

Caroline freezes, while she tries to get her brain around the idea of leaving. “But our friends need us.”

She just couldn’t see herself leaving, not yet. Something was going to happen. Something had to keep her here, and it can’t just be a creepy ghost from the past. A ghost that she still needs answers from. 

Tyler sighs, “And our mothers need us to stay alive.” Tyler gets up off the couch and walks towards Caroline, “Look, Stefan and Damon are gonna do whatever it takes to protect themselves, but this is our lives. So let me protect you.”

Mikael appears behind Tyler with a glowering expression. Almost as if he can read her mind, he growls, “Caroline.” Caroline ignores the new addition to the room, along with her heart telling her to stay. She instead goes with the safest option. 

Run. 

She grabs Tyler’s hands pulling him closer, “I'll go anywhere with you. I mean, if we have to spend the rest of our lives running, I will run with you. But, first, I have to help our friends.”

Tyler nods smiling, “I'll get stuff together and meet you at the cellar in two hours.” Mikael shakes his head angrily before disappearing out of site.

Caroline nods, “Deal.” She pulls their body’s closer, closing the distance between their lips. Tyler moans softly against her lips, but Caroline pulls back. 

It doesn’t fill like it use to. In fact their relationship hasn’t been that great since he became a hybrid, but now she couldn’t get the other hybrid kiss out of her head. How safe she felt in his arms or the way the flame was set afire in her stomach, but she couldn’t think about that right now. 

Tyler smiles, “We've got to travel light, so what do you need?”

“Just you. Maybe a curling iron.” Caroline laughs and kisses him again, before continuing, “Oh, I have to tell Bonnie!”

Tyler shakes his head, “I'll call Bonnie, okay? Two hours, don't you dare be late.”

“Okay.” The share a final kiss, before Caroline runs out of the room. She had two hours before they leave, but something inside her started twisting at the thought. 

_____________________________________

Klaus was dead. 

The big bad hybrid, who was supposed to be un-killable, was dead. And for some reason Caroline’s stomach was in knots, not just from the fear of dying, but from guilt. He had saved her, and in return her friends got him killed. 

Caroline runs down into the cellar crying, while yelling out, “Tyler! Tyler!” She stops in the middle of the cellar, looking around frantically in the empty space. “Oh my God.” 

Tyler enters the cellar confused, “Caroline?”

Caroline gasps in relief, “Tyler! Oh my God.” He was still alive, so maybe that means the others are safe. 

He rushes towards Caroline, and pulls them into a comforting embrace. “Hey. Sorry, I was just with Bonnie.” They pull apart, but stand almost touching the other. He frowns seeing how upset she is, “What happened?”

Caroline let’s out a shaky breath, before mumbling, “Klaus died. He's dead.” 

Tyler calmly nods, before comforting, “You're going to be fine, Caroline.”

She shakes her head, “No, it's not me that I'm worried about.” Caroline doesn’t need to focus on her upcoming death. She couldn’t focus on that. 

Tyler sighs, “There's no point. I'm a lost cause, but you're strong, and you have a beautiful future ahead of you. And when you make it through this, just tell my mother I left town like I was supposed to, okay?”

He brings her forward for a passionate kiss, before she pulls away. This kiss felt different, it didn’t focus on the thought. Because they were about to die and in death everything feels different. 

Suddenly, Tyler falls to the floor, coughing and clutching at his heart. He stops and tries to stand up, looking towards Caroline. “Do you feel anything?”

Caroline frowns confused, “No, I feel fine.”

Tyler let’s out a sigh of relief, before stating, “I need you to get out of here. I don't want you to watch me die.”

Caroline shakes her head, “No, I'm not leaving.” Tyler falls to the ground in pain again, while Caroline kneels down next to him. “I'm staying.”

“No.”

“Yes!”

Tyler growls out in anger and pain. “You run. Or I'll make you run.”

Caroline shakes her head, eyes filling with tears. “I'm not leaving.”

Tyler looks at her and then begins to painfully transform into a wolf. He yells, “Go!” Caroline cries out, before rushing out of the cellar. Not getting over the feeling, that something was different. 

_____________________________________

The surrounding air was cold, as they could see their breathes in front of them. Rebekah steps towards her older brother in tears. This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. He was supposed to be her older brother that lived forever. 

She gasps, at the sight of the older man in the suit. “He's gone, Elijah. There was nothing I could do to stop it.”

The siblings walk towards each other and enter a comforting embrace. Before Elijah pulls back confused, “Tyler Lockwood is dead, but the rest survived. You said that Niklaus turned their bloodline.”

Rebekah nods, “I thought he did.” 

“It wasn't me, it wasn't Kol.”

She shakes her head, before looking him in the eye, “It wasn't me, Elijah. It was Niklaus, I'm sure of it.” 

Elijah shakes his head, “Then how are they still alive?”

Nothing made sense anymore. The unkillable, became killable. The innocent became monsters, while the monsters became scared. 

_____________________________________

Illusions can come in many forms. 

Mental. Psychical. Anything. They are fake, after all. But the true question to ask yourself, is how much of it is fake? 

Bonnie enters the cellar, with an air of confidence around her. She calls out, “I know you're here.” 

Tyler walks out of the shadows smirking, “I must say you really did that spell brilliantly. I didn't think you had it in you.” Did anyone ever believe in her? 

Bonnie scoffs rolling her eyes, “I did it to save my friends and my mother, Klaus. Not you.”

“The spirits won't be happy with you.”

She looks at him blankly, “The spirits don't get to tell me what to do anymore. I'm done getting pushed around by all of you.” Bonnie wasn’t going to let anyone suck her into a new illusion. She wasn’t going to be weak. “I did it because I wanted to.” 

She was going to control the illusion. 

_____________________________________

Caroline couldn’t see straight with all the tears. She can barely make out the frames of the blurry trees in front of her, when the figure appears. 

She harshly wipes off the tears from view, before calling out roughly, “What do you want?” She couldn’t deal with him. Not after Tyler dying. 

Mikael calmly walks forward, not hesitating after seeing her messed up appearance. “I told you earlier I wasn’t going to let you run, child.”

Caroline scoffs, “Seriously? The council is still after me. Klaus is not only dead, but now Tyler is too. So, what the hell do you still want from me?” 

She wanted to be left alone. Left alone to come to the realization that Tyler’s not coming back, she’s seeing a ghost, and that her friends made the stupid decision to put down the big bad hybrid, instead of the fucking vampire Hunter that was after all of them. 

Mikael calmly stops in front of her, “The question you should be asking, is not what I want from you, Caroline. More of what need from you.”

Caroline stands up, “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

Mikael rolls his eyes annoyed, “That means your special. More special than you could possibly imagine, and I have to honor my deal.”

“What deal?”

“You don’t need to know.”

Caroline snaps, “What do you mean, I don’t need to know? Of course, I need to know! You're a ghost and I can see you when no one else can. I deserve answers!” 

Mikael scoffs, “You deserve answers? What about your friends, Caroline? Or that mutt boyfriend of yours. Don’t they deserve to know that you kissed the abomination?” 

Caroline hesitates, “I-...” She can’t come up with an answer. No, she doesn’t want to answer. 

Mikael nods, “You don’t have an answer, do you? You don’t know how to tell them, that killing him felt wrong. Even after all the damage he did to the doppelgänger.” He pauses, giving her a minute. “No. You just chose not to tell them. Just like I chose not to tell you the deal.” He disappears, almost as if he was never there in the first place, leaving Caroline alone to her thoughts. 

_____________________________________

The voices in my head 

telling me not to confess

But I'm running out of time 

and they think they know what's best

~Wicked: AVIVA 

_____________________________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you think!


	3. Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline gets a warning from Mikael. Liz receives a letter from an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Season 4 episode 1: Growing Pains

_ I want to hide the truth,  _

_ I want to shelter you _

_ But with the beast inside,  _

_ there's nowhere we can hide _

**_ ~  Demons : Imagine Dragons  _ **

XX 

The soft breeze of the cool fall air coming in through the open patio door, surrounds the lone figure sitting at the table. 

Her curly, luxurious jet black hair, falls down past her shoulders. She reaches across the table with her cold slender soft fingers, picking up a long black rectangle box. 

Gently opening the black box, she picks up the silver necklace delicately. Smiling slightly at the moon pentagram necklace, with black rhinestones, and one small blue tanzanite stone in the middle of the star. 

She places the necklace back in the black box, before she puts it into a slightly bigger cardboard box. After ceiling it close with tape, she stands from the table, gently picking up the box. After grabbing her keys, jacket, and phone, she sends one last text before locking the door. ‘On my way to Mystic Falls. ~K’ 

This was just the start. Because the fallen are coming, and the light needs protection from her destiny. 

XX 

Deranged Emotions. 

That’s the only way Bonnie knows how to describe what she’s feeling. The insane amount of anger, guilt, and fear she feels, while looking down upon Klaus’s desiccated body that is lying in a coffin. 

The anger at Klaus for hurting her friends and family. The anger towards her friends for getting her into this situation. The way her blood boils at the thought of her mother having to turn. The guilt for saving Klaus in the first place. For not finding another way to help her friends. The fear of failing. Of not being able to get herself out of the situation she made. 

Klaus walks up behind her, still in Tyler’s body, smirking. “It’s beautiful, isn't it?”

Bonnie turns sharply, watching him warily enter the cellar. She asks, “What is that doing here, Klaus? The deal we made with Tyler was that you'd leave his body and jump into someone else's the first chance you got.”

Klaus nods, while glazing down at his body. “Yes, when I assumed I'd be a pile of ash. But apparently, fate and oxygen intervened and there I am.” He doesn’t bother to mention how much the thought of dying terrified him, as he walks towards the coffin. “Put me back.”

“I can't right now.”

Klaus scoffs, “Your history teacher outed Tyler and Caroline to the Council. They're on a war path and this body's vulnerable.”

“I have to help Elena before she has to feed.”

He growls lowly, while rolling his eyes. “Elena's dead and no longer my concern.”

Bonnie glares deepen, as she stares him down. “You're forgetting who just saved your life.” 

Klaus grabs Bonnie by the throat growling, “And you're forgetting that I could rip your tongue out. Now put me back.”

“If I can keep Elena human, you'll still have an endless blood supply to make your hybrids. Isn't that what you really want?”

Klaus releases Bonnie, but before she can leave, Klaus super speeds in front of her and blocks her way out. “Same rules apply. No one knows. No one. Do you understand me, Bonnie?” 

While she saves the doppelgänger, and in doing so his hybrids. Klaus will be busy finding a solution about the council. 

XX

Caroline throws together some small bags in a rush. She almost tumbles down the stairs, while trying to answer her phone. “Mom, hey!”

“Caroline, where are you? And tell me it's far away.”

Caroline glances around the house, as she tries to answer, “Where am I? Uh... Good question. Uh...there's just a whole lot of boring highways. Why, is everything okay?”

She opens the door, hurrying out the door. Caroline pushes a cardboard box out of her way, when she turns to lock the door. An unknown figure comes up behind her suddenly, while shooting a shot of vervain into her neck. 

Liz hears the commotion from the other side of the line. She panics, “Caroline, what's going?!”

The only response is the static on the line. 

XX

Sitting numbly on top of the coffin, holding his dead body, Klaus thought he would feel more emotions. There was only one main emotion he felt, and it was towards the Bennett Witch.

Boredom 

He was bored with the body he was currently confined in. Bored of having to hide away. Bored of everything. 

The phone ringing, knocks him out of thoughts. Looking down at the screen, seeing Carol Lockwood name. “Ah, you incessant woman!” He answers the phone bringing it up to his ear, “Hey, mom. What's up?”

Carol let’s out a big sigh of relief, “Tyler, thank God. Are — are you okay?”

Klaus frowns, before coming up with a Tyler-like response. “Fine. Why? What's going on?”

Carol sighs, before pouring herself a drink. “Pastor Young had me arrested this morning. The Council grilled me on your whereabouts. Tyler, don't tell me where you are, the less I know the better.”

“Mom, I'm okay. Relax.”

“You didn't answer your phone, honey. I was so scared that you were with Caroline.”

Klaus freezes, before standing up. “Why? What happened to Caroline?”

“The Council took her.”

Klaus can barely hold back a growl, before asking angrily, “What do you mean they took her?”

XX

Driving down an empty road, surrounded by green fields. Is a black van being escorted by two police cars; one in front and one in the back. Inside the van, Caroline blinks her eyes rapidly trying to get her sight back. 

Letting out a pained moan, she rolls her head to the side; getting a good view of Rebekah’s messed up curly hair. Groaning against the binds holding her down, Caroline fights against the vervain ropes. 

Out of nowhere a chuckle echoes throughout the van, “You're going to have to do better than that, to get out of those binds, sweetheart.” Looking up glaring, before she glances warily at Rebekah’s limp body. “Don’t worry, child. She’ll be out for a little while.” 

Caroline frowns, looking at Mikael confused. “She’s your daughter.” She states, as if it was the answer to his numbness. 

Mikael shrugs, “I hunted her for a thousand years.”

She narrows her eyes, shaking her head lightly. “No, you hunted Klaus.” Caroline pauses trying to make her point come across. “Elena told me about your history and how you really only wanted to kill Klaus.”

“He’s an abomination. One that needed to be killed.”

Caroline scoffs, “He can’t help what he is. He didn’t ask to be a vampire. Your wife spelled him. He, also, didn’t ask for his mother to sleep with another man.” She smirks, while taking in the anger he fills. “Yeah, Elena told about the affair.” 

“You need to learn to shut your mouth, little girl.” 

Caroline rolls her eyes, “What are you going to do to me? You can’t touch me, you're a ghost.” 

Mikael growls, leaning forward his breath hitting her face. “Can a ghost do this?” He shoves his hand forward into her chest. Gripping her heart in his hand tightly, but making sure not to pull it out. “I could kill you, child, but it’s to bad she’s waking up.” 

Mikael disappears, while Caroline glances to the side at Rebekah’s starring form. Rebekah struggles to get out of the ropes tying her down against the car. “Vervain ropes. Looks like Alaric outed us all to the Council.”

Rebekah scoffs, “The Council? What exactly do they think they can do to me?” She pauses taking in the blood on Caroline’s short over her heart, before asking, “And what the hell happened to you?”

Suddenly, the wheels of the van start to screech. When the van flips over, Caroline and Rebekah go flying. The van lands on its side, as Rebekah asks in shock, “What the hell happened?”

Outside the van, one of the police cars has been completely destroyed and another silver SUV is seen with its front end smashed in. The other police car that was escorting the van; which is further up the road; whips around and starts to drive back towards the van.

Meanwhile, Klaus breaks off the back door of the van, shocking both girls. Caroline stares at Tyler in shock asking, “Tyler?”

Klaus smirks, “I'm harder to kill than you think.” He rips off the vervain ropes tying Caroline down. 

Caroline gasps in shock, before asking Tyler, “You're alive? How are you alive?”

He finishes ripping off the ropes and helps her up out of the van, “No time. Come on, we've got to go.” 

“Wait, what about me?”

Klaus looks down at Rebekah smirking, “Keep 'em busy, little sister!” He gets up and flashes away, while Rebekah is left shocked by his revelation. 

She exclaims, “No. That's not possible!” 

XX

Caroline flashes Tyler up against a tree, as they begin to make out. She could hardly control her excitement. “I never thought I'd see you again! I don't get it. How are you alive?”

Klaus pushes back slightly, “This is going to sound incredible, but I....” Caroline silences him with a kiss, except Klaus hesitates into it. “But...”

Klaus stops trying to talk, before he flashes Caroline up against a tree. They continue to kiss roughly, Caroline pulls back smiling. She tries to ignore the way her stomach tightens in knots, as she gets the filling something isn’t completely right. She just wanted to relish in some of the feelings she was experiencing. The safe feeling he left as she was held in his arms. Caroline helps him take off his jacket and shirt. 

Klaus pulls away, as Caroline stares up at Tyler’s body confused. “Easy, love. Wrong time. Wrong place. Wrong equipment.”

Caroline frowns, “But you're miraculously alive. We're fugitives on the run. All signs point to hot hybrid vampire sex.” She removes her jacket and continues to kiss him, while flashing him into another tree. She pulls away for a minute to take her shirt off. She starts kissing him again, but suddenly stops as realization hit her. The reason he was hesitating, and the most important thing, “Did you just call me ‘love’?” 

“I don't know, love. Did I?”

Caroline pushes her hands up against Tyler’s chest in anger, as she yells at Klaus. “What the hell did you do to Tyler?!”

He smiles, “That's what I enjoy about you. So much more than a pretty face.”

Caroline backs away from him, in shock. “Oh my God, you're Klaus. You're disgusting!”

“And you're a glorious kisser.” Caroline slaps him, but Klaus continues, “Listen, I didn't have to risk exposure to come save you.”

Caroline turns around and starts to put her shirt back on. “Oh, you do one semi-decent thing, and now you're my hero? Oh, I need to go sanitize my mouth!”

“Your mouth was all over me. I was an innocent victim!”

Caroline turns back to face him, as she exclaims, “Put Tyler back!”

Klaus smirks, “Gladly, then maybe I'll take you up on your offer of hot hybrid sex.” Caroline huffs in anger, as he flashes away. Leaving her behind to conclude upon her thoughts. 

XX

After the initial feeling of shock disappeared, Caroline knew she would have to get Tyler back into he’s body. Klaus was taking another persons free will away, and Caroline knew from experience how awful that could be. So they went to the one-person Caroline knew who could help. 

Bonnie Bennett. 

Jeremy and Bonnie stand in front of Klaus unafraid, as he demands to be put back into his own body. Caroline stands off slightly to the side of the room, while Jeremy states, “She said she's not strong enough.”

Klaus scoffs, “You were strong enough to put me in here. Surely, you're strong enough to get me out.”

Bonnie shakes her head, “I upset the spirits trying to save Elena. I can't use that kind of magic again. It's too dangerous.”

“Bonnie, do the bloody spell!”

Caroline steps forward, as Klaus takes a threatening step. She exclaims, “She said she can't okay?” Klaus turns towards Caroline, while she continues, “We'll just wait a few days until you're strong enough to do it with traditional magic, right Bonnie?”

Klaus growls, while he rips open Tyler’s short. He takes a deep breath, before he extends his claws on his right hand. He punctures at Tyler’s chest with his claws and grabs Tyler's heart and begins to rip it out. Caroline frowns, “What are you doing?”

“Ripping Tyler's heart out. I'll jump into someone else.” He turns towards Jeremy smirking, “Maybe you.” 

He continues to tear out Tyler's heart, as Bonnie gasp, “Oh my God!”

Caroline exclaims, “You're hurting him! Stop! Stop!” 

Jeremy shakes his head, not believing the threat. “He's bluffing. He needs a witch to do that.”

“What makes you think I don't have one? Or ten? Pick, Bonnie! You or Tyler!”

He has almost successfully torn out Tyler’s heart from his chest, while Caroline continues, “Stop, please! You're killing him!”

Bonnie glances at Tyler’s chest, and the tears rolling down Caroline’s face. “Fine, I'll do it! Just stop.”

Klaus takes his hand out of his chest smirking, “Good. Let's begin.”

XX

Bonnie knew she shouldn’t be doing the spell, but she couldn’t stand the thought of Klaus killing Tyler. It’s not because she cares for Tyler that much, but for Caroline. It would destroy the blonde, and Bonnie couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself, knowing that there could have been a chance she could’ve save Tyler. 

She stands behind Tyler’s body, with her hands on the side of his head. Jeremy and Caroline stand by her side worrying, while she spells, “Phasmatos Tribum, Nas Ex Veras, Raverus En Phasmatos Ex Sonos. Resistamus Et Veram Vatus. Raverus Phasmatos Ex Sonos.”

Jeremy shakes his head mumbling, “This is black magic. She shouldn't be doing this.”

Tyler opens his eyes and looks up, while Caroline asks, “Tyler?”

He smiles, “Caroline. Hey.” Tyler tries to get up, but falls down to the ground limp.

Caroline rushes to his side, “Tyler?”

Jeremy frowns at Bonnie as she keeps chanting, “Bonnie, what are you doing?”

She stops chanting, as her Grams appears in front of her. “I warned you, child. I warned you to stay away.”

Jeremy looks at Bonnie confused, “Bonnie, it worked. Stop.”

Grams grabs Bonnie’s hands, “What's happening? Let me go!”

“I can't.”

“Let me go!”

Caroline frowns at Bonnie confused, not understanding who Bonnie was talking to. “Bonnie, what's happening?”

Dark veins start creeping down Bonnie's arm towards her Grams' and suddenly appear on her arms as well. Bonnie exclaims, “Okay, let her go!”

“You made your choice. Now they're taking it out on me!” The veins creep up Grams' face, and she begins to scream in pain. 

Bonnie cries, “I'm sorry, Grams! They can't do this to you! Please, don't do this to her!”

“Bonnie, stop!”

Bonnie watches as the pain pains hurts her grandmother, “No! No! Oh my God!” Grams disappears, while Bonnie falls down on her knees, crying. Jeremy gets down next to her and tries to comfort her, but Bonnie continues, “What have I done?! What did I do?! What did I do? What did I do?” She blames herself, because she knew she shouldn’t have done the spell. 

XX

The darkened sky filled with the bright shining stars, light up the night. Liz walks slowly up the porch. She had just got through an exhausting phone call with her daughter. 

Caroline had informed her about the Klaus taking over Tyler’s body, Elena now a vampire, and Bonnie doing the spell. Her daughter had also informed her not to expect her return home, until sometime tomorrow. She was needed at Bonnie’s house, along with Elena being newly transitioned. 

Liz freezes in front of the door. Staring down in shock at the cardboard box. It wasn’t the box it’s self that shocked her. It was the label stamp on it. 

The dove and the raven yin-yang symbol.

She shakily picks up the box, and enters the house. Liz puts her keys on the mantle, before walking forward towards the table. Liz puts the box down, and takes out her gun. Quickly unlocking the safety. 

She moves into the kitchen, breathing slowly and ready, with her gun forward. Liz calls out, “Hello? Anyone in here?” She checks the back door, before continuing her search after finding it locked. 

Turning into the dining room, she calls out again. “Alice? Is it you? I thought we had established a form of communication that doesn’t involve breaking in entering.” She pauses to glances into a cloak closet, “Lucy? The Last time I heard from you, you were visiting Queen Elizabeth.” 

She starts making her way warily up the stairs. “Lilith? Francis? I haven’t heard from you two in a while. I would have thought you two would have at least tried to call.” 

Liz moves into the hallway bathroom, clearing the room. Then moves the search into her master bedroom. “Sam? This really doesn’t seem like your style.” 

After clearing her own room, Liz moves calmly into her daughter bedroom. “What about you Felix? Have you destroyed any more of siblings lives? I got a built with your name on it.” 

Finally, after clearing all the rooms. Liz makes her way down the stairs, trying one last time. “I know this is one of you. I can recognize that symbol anywhere.” 

Standing in front of the table, again. Liz sighs, and turns the safety of her gun back on. She stares at the box, before bringing herself to open it. 

Inside the box, is a long black box. Upon opening it, was reviled a moon pentagram necklace, with black rhinestones and a couple of diamonds. One small blue tanzanite stone in the middle of the star. A stone that Liz remembers vividly. She sets the box down gently against the table, before picking up a folded piece of paper. 

𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝑬𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒉, 

𝐼 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙. 𝐼 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠, 𝐼 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡. 𝐵𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒, 𝐼 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟. 𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝐴𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑒, 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑. 

𝑆𝑎𝑑𝑙𝑦, 𝐼 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑠𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑒, 𝑓𝑢𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒. 𝑂𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛, 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦. 𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑. 

𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝐴𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑒. 𝐴𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑦 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒. 𝑆ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒'𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠. 𝐻𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑣𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑒. 

𝑁𝑜𝑤, 𝐿𝑖𝑧, 𝐼 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢. 𝐸𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐹𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑥 𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛. 𝐿𝑢𝑐𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐴𝑖𝑙𝑐𝑒, 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝐼 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙, 𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠. 

𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑒'𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑀𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑐 𝐹𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝. 𝐼 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑜𝑢𝑡, 𝑎 𝑑𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑠 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 

𝑂𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒. 𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑦. 𝐼𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. 𝑀𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝐿𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡ℎ, ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑤 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑢𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠.

𝐼 𝑓𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑡ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡. 𝑁𝑜𝑤, 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑑. 

𝐼𝑛 𝑓𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑠𝑎𝑓𝑒𝑡𝑦, 𝐴𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑀𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑐 𝐹𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑠. 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑦, 𝐼'𝑚 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒. 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝐿𝑢𝑐𝑦, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐼 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝐹𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐿𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡ℎ. 𝑆𝑜, 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑠𝑜𝑜𝑛. 

𝐼𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑦 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑛. 𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑏𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑠, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑓𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚. 

𝐼 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑡, 𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑛, ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑘𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑. 𝐿𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑢𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑠 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑦. 𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡𝐼 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑑, 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒'𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠. 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝑖𝑘𝑎𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑚 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑡 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑦 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚. 

𝐸𝑙𝑖𝑗𝑎ℎ, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟, 𝑎𝑠 ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑖𝑚𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓. 𝐷𝑜 𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎℎ𝑖𝑚. 𝑅𝑒𝑏𝑒𝑘𝑎ℎ, 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒. 𝐷𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑢𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑦 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑛'𝑡. 𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ ℎ𝑒𝑟, 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑. 𝐾𝑜𝑙, ℎ𝑒'𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑖𝑚. 𝐻𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑚𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑥𝑡𝑟𝑎 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑙𝑙. 

𝑁𝑖𝑘𝑙𝑎𝑢𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑦𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑑, ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑙𝑙. 𝐻𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑘 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝐷𝑜 𝑁𝑂𝑇𝑜𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑖𝑚. 𝐻𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑦𝑎𝑙.

𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦, 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑜. 𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟, 𝑏𝑒𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑠. 𝐴𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐿𝑢𝑐𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑦, 𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒. 𝐹𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. 

𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑦 , 

𝑆𝑎𝑚 𝑊ℎ𝑖𝑡𝑒. 

𝑃.𝑆. 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑠, 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑆𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡. 𝑆ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑏𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ.

XX

_ Don't get too close,  _

_ it's dark inside _

_ It's where my demons hide,  _

_ it's where my demons hide _

**_ ~  Demons : Imagine Dragons _ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can everyone read the letter?


	4. Memorial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang gets ready for the memorial of the fallen Council members, while Caroline’s secret is questioned.

* * *

_ The overactive mind of a believer _

_ The toxic thoughts of an overachiever _

_ Oh dear, if only you could feel it _

_**Toxic Thoughts: Faith Marie ** _

XX

Caroline Forbes is an overachiever. 

She is also a believer. 

Anyone would notice. The way she wins almost every title the town can offer or how she’s ahead in all of her classes. Even the one she hates, science. 

She has the overactive mind of a believer. She is always the optimist one in the group. Always choosing to look on the bright side of things, instead of spinning towards the depths of darkness. 

She has the toxic thoughts of an overachiever. The insecurities over every tiny detail in her life. She has to be the best, because if she’s not, then what’s left? 

Always second guessing every decision she ever makes. Thinking she’s not good enough. Not smart enough. Not pretty enough. That she’ll always not be enough. That she’s always going to be second best. 

Nobody notices her. 

Nobody saw how toxic she feels. 

She could put on the best Miss Mystic Falls smile she had, and light up everyone else’s world; while she crumbles to glass on the inside. She’s Caroline Forbes, and everyone only saw what she wanted them to see. 

Except for Klaus. 

He seemed to know she wanted more, then this small town had to offer. He’s able to see past all the fake smiles and the bulletproof walls. That scares her. 

She was supposed to be the bright and bubbly friend, that was always smiling. That’s what he seemed to want, but she could tell also seemed to know the saddest of people smile the brightest. That she was used to people letting her down or leaving her alone. That she was only a replacement for their number one.

He also knew, he had to get out of town. Not wanting to spend another second in the dreadful place of Mystic Falls. It is the home of the supernatural, and will always attract the most powerful enemies. 

Klaus had his plan made before Bonnie even started to spell. Get his body back, and get the hell out of this troublesome town. The only problem, was he knew he had to tell Caroline goodbye. 

He had to make sure she knew that if she was ever in trouble, he would be there. She could always come to him. Even though she practically hated him at the moment. He still had to tell her. She was becoming a weakness, even if he wouldn’t bring himself to say it. Not wanting to make it more real. 

Klaus awoke in his casket, down in the Lockwood cellar. He could vaguely hear the Bennett Witch crying hysterically against the young Gilbert boy, near the entrance of the cellar. His attention was then quickly drawn towards the shuffling from the other side of the room. 

He could tell it was a female based on the light footsteps, coming from a small figure. The shuffling from their footsteps against the cold concrete floor. He only had one guess who it is.

Caroline. 

He raises up from the coffin, glad he left it open beforehand. Looking to the left, he sees the blonde bundle of curls moving towards the sofa that held the unconscious body of his first hybrid. 

She carefully moves the hybrids legs onto the sofa, making sure he can rest comfortably. Klaus notices how she keeps glances up towards the crying sounds of the witch. Keeping an eye on both people she cares about in one go. 

Klaus takes a step forward, the sound making Caroline jump back in shock. She freezes in panic, not in the mood to be looking for a fight. She whispers, “Klaus.” 

“Hello, love.” 

He steps forward, but she stands up blocking him with her body, from getting to Tyler’s unconscious form. “Stay away from Tyler.” 

Klaus scoffs, “I don’t want the wolf boy.” Not right now. Not when he needed to leave. 

Caroline frowns, “Then what are you still doing here?” It didn’t make sense to her, why he was still there. 

“I came to say goodbye.” 

“Goodbye?” Why would he care enough to say goodbye? Was he just here to gloat, about how he was still alive? She couldn’t make sense of it. “So, you’re finally leaving town?” 

Klaus clenches his jaw, at her witty tone. “Yes, I plan to be in Chicago tomorrow.” 

Caroline rolls her eyes, while scoffing. “So, what? You came here to gloat? ‘Hey, I’m still alive.’ The big bad hybrid. The unkillable hybrid.” 

“I simply came to say goodbye.” He pauses taking in her reaction carefully. “To you, Caroline. Not Tyler. Not to gloat, just goodbye, and that if you ever need any help. I promise,” Her eyes wide as she lets out a soft gasp from his words. “You’ll know where to find me.” 

Caroline freezes, speechless. No one who had ever offered her help. Not help that means this much like his does. She tries to concentrate on the conversation at hand, but her words come out remotely, “Well, goodbye. I guess.” 

Klaus smiles at her lightly, “Goodbye, love.” He flashes away from the cellar, leaving her behind with the weight of his promise. 

XX

Caroline knew something was wrong. 

At first she passed the feeling off to the fact that the councils members memorial was about to be held, while Tyler and her where off having sex. Tyler quickly tried to sooth her worry, and get her focused on the task at hand; by telling her grief sex was healthy. That they shouldn’t worry. 

She still felt wrong, but she pushed it aside. 

The couple being kissing again roughly, when the doorbell rings. Tyler looks up growling, “Who the hell is that?”

Caroline knew the moment Mikael appeared beside the door, that the gut feeling she ignored was serious. Mikael watches Tyler quickly pull on a shirt and leave the room, before he spares her a glance. “Stay up here.” 

She really shouldn’t have ignored the feeling. 

Carol walks to the door calmly, but with a frown upon her face. She knew her son was upstairs, and based on recent developments with the deceased council members. She had to be careful. 

Opening the door, reviles a tall unknown man. She smiles politely, “May I help you?”

“Good evening. I'm hoping I can help you actually. I spoke with Sheriff Forbes earlier. My name is Connor Jordan.” He reaches a hand out for Carol to shake. 

She grips his hand, before responding, “Carol Lockwood. I know who you are, Connor, and I believe the Sheriff made it clear that the tragedy at the farmhouse was an internal matter.”

Connor’s face goes stoic, “That's one way of looking at it, I guess. Although I prefer the term cover up. Do you mind if I come in?”

“You know, I really don't think that's a good idea.” Connor pushes the door open, while Carol tries to shut it back. “Uh, excuse me.”

He pushes the door completely open, before smiling sarcastically. “Thank you. You're aware that it wasn't an accident. Any rookie fireman could tell you that.”

Carol glares, “What are you? The press?”

“Not exactly. So, twelve Council members are dead, you're the Mayor, why weren't you at that meeting?”

Carol shakes her head, “It wasn't official town business.”

“What was it then?”

Tyler comes downstairs confused, “Mom? What's going on?” He walks around his mother, approaching Connor. “Is there something I could help you with?”

Connor smiles politely, “Maybe. How are you doing? I'm Connor.” He reaches out his hand, and Tyler takes it warily. His skin suddenly starts to burn. Connor quickly pulls out a pistol and shoots Tyler several times. 

Tyler falls to the floor, while his mother calls out his name frantically. Caroline sits up from the bed upstairs confused. Mikael growls, “Caroline.” She ignores the dead original, quickly putting on a shirt, before leaving the room. 

Downstairs, Connor reloads his weapon continuing to fire more bullets at Tyler. Carol yells, “Tyler! Oh my God! Tyler! Tyler, run!!” Tyler gets up from the floor, and super speeds across the room and smashes through a window. Connor runs out the door after him. 

Caroline comes down the stairs frantically. 

Carol and Caroline stare at the smeared blood on the floor, before sharing a look of shock. 

XX

Tyler growls out in pain, while Stefan pulls out one of the wooden bullets from Tyler’s torso, with a pair of metal tongs. Caroline winces, “Please tell me that's the last one.”

Stefan focuses intently on the bullet, ignoring Caroline’s question. “These were specially carved; the length, the width. If you were a normal vampire, you'd be dead.”

He places the wooden bullet in a glass of alcohol to clean it off. Tyler responds, “This guy knew what he was doing. His gloves must have been steeped in vervain.” He pauses staring at them. “He was looking for a vampire, and he didn't hesitate for a second when he found one.”

“These etchings....” Stefan reaches out to touch the bullet, but quickly pulls back as it burns his fingers. 

“Are the bullets spelled?”

“I don't know.” He pauses frowning down at the wooden bullets put together on the table. “They're something.”

XX

Her mom’s squad car was in the driveway.

Caroline walks towards the front entrance to the house confused. Normally, she would be over the top thrilled for her mom to actually be home, but based on Caroline memory of her mom work schedule, (which she memorized) Liz was not supposed to be home. “Mom. You home?” 

Liz jumps at the sound of her daughter’s voice, quick puts the necklace she was staring at Intently back into the box. She calls out from the kitchen, “In here, Caroline!”

Caroline slowly walks into the kitchen. She confusedly asks, “Hey, I thought you would be at work?” 

“I have the night shift tonight.” Liz watches as her daughter nods in understanding. “I thought you were getting ready, for the memorial, at Elena’s place.” 

Caroline nods, while moving towards the fridge. “I was, but the whole Hunter thing happened. Now, Elena is getting ready at the Salvatore place. Which by the way, I don’t want to be there in the middle of their love triangle.” 

Liz chuckles softly at her daughter, watching her pull out a blood bag. She doesn’t think she will ever truly get used to her daughter drinking blood. Based on most of her experiences with vampires, Caroline seems to have an extraordinary amount of control. 

They both settle of in comfortable silence, before Liz’s glaze falls towards the letter laying by the black necklace box. She remembers Sam’s warnings. The ones about the originals and what’s to come. The one about Caroline on Saturday nights. 

“So, what do you have planned tonight?” 

Caroline freezes, before she quickly looks back down at her blood bag. “Probably going to Bonnie’s or Elena’s place. Specially, now that Elena’s a vampire. In case something happens, someone else will be there.” 

She was lying. 

Liz knew she was lying. 

She knew her daughter, plus Liz was a damn good cop. That response sounded rehearsed, and with Caroline’s experience with lying, it was definitely rehearsed. She was terrible at lying. For Caroline to put this much effort in trying to hide what she was doing, that means it serious. Or she’s with someone Liz won’t like. 

Liz knew she shouldn’t push it. Not today, not with the memorial. A fight with Caroline would do no one any good. 

But she really wanted to push it. 

She wanted to know what her daughter was hiding from her, lying to her. She needed to know, but not today. Today is the memorial, tomorrow she can enter hell. 

Caroline looks down awkwardly, trying to focus on something else. Look around the room searchingly, her glaze lands on the black box. She frowns curiously, “What’s that?”

Liz jumps out of her thoughts, while turning towards the direction of the box on the counter. “Oh, it’s something I had as a child. I was going through some old boxes and found it.” She walks over, and picks the soft black box up. “Someone very important had given it to me, and now I would like you to have.” 

She reaches it out towards Caroline, who smiles lightly. “Thanks, mom.” 

Liz watches as Caroline twirls the box around with her fingers nervously. She smiles, “Open it.” 

Caroline, gently, opens the black box. She sees a moon pentagram necklace, with black rhinestones and a couple of diamonds. One small blue tanzanite stone placed in the middle of the star, that she doesn’t recognize. She does get this vague feeling that’s it familiar. “Wow! Are these real diamonds?” 

Liz chuckles at Caroline ecstatic expression. “Yes. Someone important gave me that necklace.” 

Caroline takes it out of the box, before glancing up at her mother. “Help me put it on?”Liz gently takes the necklace out of her daughters hand, while Caroline moves her hair to the side. 

While clasping the snap shut, Liz gets the strongest feeling of déjà vu. She remembers it like it was yesterday. Her standing where her daughter is now, with someone special clasping the necklace chain around her neck. 

Because that was her necklace. 

Liz could recognize those markings anywhere. She had no idea how Sam was able to find it. It had been a long time since she saw it, and along with it comes all the memories to come crashing down. 

The unwanted memories that hold her captive. 

XX

Stefan walks slowly into the church, making his way up to Tyler and Caroline. Shocked he asks, “What are you doing here, Tyler?”

“Being sensitive to the community's loss.”

“With a hunter out to get you?”

Tyler stops smiling, before he clenched his jaw. “I'm not letting a hunter stop me from where I'm supposed to be.”

Caroline turns towards Stefan, “Also, if he shows his face, I'm gonna kick his ass.”

Stefan walks away, moving down a row. Sitting two rows behind Elena. 

Carol walks calmly up to the podium, “Before we begin the Mass, we'd like to open the floor to anyone who would like to share a memory about our late friends on the Town Council. I know that April Young wanted to say a few words about her dad. April? April, are you still here, honey?”

Upstairs in the balcony, Connor moves around putting a wooden stake down into his gun. Carol continues, “Is there anyone else who would like to share a recollection or a memory about Pastor Young?”

No one gets up, while Connor, starts pointing his gun at various people, getting ready to shoot if one of them reveals themselves to be a vampire. He moves the gun around back and forth, while Mikael appears behind him. 

As the gun hits Caroline’s row, before Connor can get a good look at the blonde, Mikael waves his hand towards the gun. It gently moves over Caroline’s figure, while Connor resumes his searching. Finally, Elena stands up, while Stefan and Caroline share a worried glance. “Come on up, Elena.”

Connor moves his gun towards Elena's back, as she proceeds to walk up to the podium. Damon enters the church; when Stefan, Tyler, and Caroline all turn to look at him. He walks forward before he dips his hands in a bowl of holy water and touches his forehead, chest, and shoulders in the formation of a cross. “Don't know why that always makes me smile.”

Caroline watches as Damon comes to sit beside Stefan, before his attention gets drawn back towards the front of the church. Elena swallows deeply, “I uh — when I talked to April earlier she was kind of nervous about coming up to speak. And now that I'm up here, I'm kind of nervous too.” 

Elena grips the sides on the podium tightly, while she tries to focus. “The worst day of loving someone is the day that you lose them.” She freezes as she smells and starts to hear blood dripping from somewhere. 

Stefan, Damon, Tyler, and Caroline all freezes momentarily. Caroline turns towards Tyler frowning, “Do you smell that?”

“Blood.”

Elena starts to breathe heavily, while Damon tries to take control of the situation at hand. “Nobody move. Don't turn around, it's a trap.”

The pool of blood formed under April, drips down from the balcony into the holy water. 

Elena stands shaky, trying to fight off the urge for blood. “I um...”

She breathes in and out, but veins start crawling towards her eyes. Stefan quickly comes up to the podium and wraps his arm around her. He whispers, “It's okay, it's okay. I got you, I got you.”

Stefan led Elena off the stage and back into the row next to Matt. The priest goes over to the podium. Connor continues to follow Elena with his gun, but points it back at the podium. “Please turn to page forty-two in your hymn book. Let us join together in a song.”

While Caroline stands up, she glances worriedly towards. Who she can see starts to turn towards Matt. She can barely make out the sounds of feeding. 

As the sings finishes up, Tyler moves out of the role and up to the podium. Caroline watches him move up the aisle confused. Tyler interrupts, “Excuse me. I just wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young.”

Connor recognizes Tyler and moves his gun towards him. Elena asks, “What do we do?”

Everyone sits back down, while Tyler begins. “Back in first grade, I was a brat who couldn't be bothered with team sports. Didn't care much about anything that didn't affect me. But he was the one who made me understand how important it is to be part of a team; a community. Of giving yourself up for the sake of...” 

Connor shoots at Tyler, making him spin and fall to the floor. Everybody starts to scream, and duck into the aisles, while rushing out of the church. Damon starts making his way out with the crowd, while Caroline towards Tyler. Carol rushes over to her son’s side, and Elena comes up on the stage as well. Carol gasp, “Oh my God.”

Caroline gets down next to Tyler and rips the stake out of his chest. Stefan rushes onto the stage and stands next to Elena. Tyler starts coughing, “I'm gonna kill that bastard.”

“Damon's way ahead of you. Stay here, I have to help him.”

Stefan turns to leave, but Elena quickly grabs his hand. “What about April?”

Caroline looks up from Tyler, “I got it. Go.”

Stefan sends her a thankful nod, while Carol states, “I have to call an ambulance.”

“No, he's fine.”

Elena walks away, while Carol looks down at Tyler. “The whole town just watched you get shot. I'm calling an ambulance.”

Carol leaves, while Caroline looks up to see Elena gone. She whispers, “Elena.”

Elena rushes upstairs towards, where she finds April gagged up and bleeding. “April!”

She rushes over to her, but stops when she sees the blood. She tries to control herself as she starts to vamp out, but then rushes towards April to feed off her. Caroline rushes towards Elena and grabs her, “She's not dead, but if you feed on her, you will kill her!”

“Let go of me!”

Elena tries to fight Caroline off and get to April's blood, while Caroline yells, “Look at her! Look at her, Elena! It's April. April Young. She's not a warm body for you to feed on. She's your friend.” She slowly starts to turn back to normal, and Caroline releases her. “She's an orphan. Just like you. She's scared. Just like you were.”

Caroline bites into her wrist and feeds April her blood. April gasps, as she looks up at Caroline. “Please, don't hurt me. Please.”

April calms down, while Caroline compels, “No one's gonna hurt you. No one's gonna hurt you.” She stands up and looks at Elena. “She needs you. You can make her forget all of this.”

April glances at the girls confused, “Why did he do this?”

Elena steps back, frantically shaking her head. “No, I — I can't, Caroline. You have to do it.”

“No. The only way you're going to learn is if you do it yourself.”

“No, I can't.”

Caroline shakes her head, “Yes, you can. You just need to believe what you're telling her. Okay?”

Elena kneels down next to April, while she gently touches her shoulder. April starts panicking, as Elena compels, “April, listen to me.” She looks at Elena. “Everything's gonna be okay. You're gonna get through this. Just like I got through it.” Elena begins to compel April, “I'm going to help you. I promise.”

April nods, “I'm gonna be okay. You're gonna help me.” Elena looks up at Caroline and smiles, while Caroline tries to give a bright smile back. 

“You watched the funeral from up here so that you could grieve alone. It was a beautiful service. People said really nice things.” April smiles, while Caroline turns around from the girls. 

XX

There was silence. 

Her mom was at the station, and she was the only one home. There was nothing turned on. Nothing to distract her or make her lose her focus. 

Caroline shuts the front door lightly behind her, before she moves the strap of her backpack higher up on her shoulder. It held her extra outfit, so she could change after the party. She didn’t like lying to her mom, but she had to. 

This was her secret. 

No one will take it from her. 

Sitting down on the steps of the porch, waiting for her secret to arrive. Caroline sighs lightly, she knew she shouldn’t be doing this. Going out to all these parties every Saturday night a couple towns away from Mystic Falls. 

It was just so much fun. 

She could let loose and have fun. Not having a care in the world. Her secret was helping her let loose. Of course, she was still a neurotic control freak on crack. 

But it was helping a little. 

A horn being blown snaps Caroline out of her thoughts. Looking up she sees a black 2011 Ford Mustang GT. Letting out a scoff of disbelief, Caroline stands up and starts to jog towards the car. 

She slows down, while the window starts to roll down. Caroline smirks towards the driver, “A new car?” 

“Of course. Did you expect any differently, Princess?” He pauses taking in her light smile, “Come on, get it.” 

She opens the door, sitting into the car comfortably. Leaving all of her doubts and trouble behind. She is not going to let her secret ruin tonight. Even if her secret is known for trouble. 

Her secret is Kol Mikaelson, after all. 

XX

_ I've created tears of pain and burns of lust _

_ I've created a forest a safe place for myself _

_ That others have found _

_**Toxic Thoughts: Faith Marie** _

* * *


	5. Flares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Season 4 episode 3: The Rager

* * *

  
The fire's out but still it burns

And no one cares, 

there's no one there

Flares:  The Script 

XX

Vampires have enhanced emotions. 

They feel everything on a deeper level. Some will push them down, and probably end up flipping the switch. Some will thrive, they don’t let the emotions hold them back. They use them to their advantage. 

Caroline had to learn this the hard way. The unexpected amount of rage that will come crawling out nowhere. It makes you want to kill. Now, Elena was dealing with her new enhancements, and it wasn’t going good. Rebekah wasn’t helping either. 

Caroline let’s out a deep breath, as she and Stefan sit on a table outside the school, watching as Elena paces back and forth in front of them. “It was a valiant first day effort. No one will judge you if you want to go home.”

“I don't want to go home. I want to take the white oak stake and kill her. That's how mad I am. She made me murderous!”

Stefan speaks up, “How about we just leave the murdering to Damon?”

He gets up and walks towards Elena, who asks, “And-and then do what? Ignore her to death?”

Stefan sighs, “Look, she's trying to make herself feel better. She knows that everybody hates her, so she's trying to hate harder. Tell you what, let's just skip the rest of the day. Go have some fun. I feel like this day is severely lacking in fun.”

Elena looks towards Caroline, who smiles up at her. The brunette reluctantly nods in agreement, “Yeah. Okay, fine.” Stefan smiles, “Then, we'll go to her party and show her that she can't intimidate me. I just have to go home and change first.”

She waves goodbye to Caroline and starts to leave, while Stefan turns around and looks at Caroline. She asks, “Does she seem a little off-balance to you?”

Stefan nods, “Yeah, she's channeling all her emotions into rage. It makes her feel like she has purpose. I used to do that too when I was...you know.”

“Ripper-you?”

“Yeah. She needs to come to terms with it, confront it, let it in, before she can let it go.” 

Caroline nods, “You're good at this, you know that? You saved my vampire life, now you're saving hers.”

They stand up and start to walk off together, Caroline states, “You should write a book. Go on The View.”

“Hm.”

XX

Caroline giggles, when Tyler opens the door. She jumps up, putting her arms around his neck, “I ditched Rebekah's ditching party.” She kisses him, before glancing behind him noticing all the guards. “What's with all the testosterone?”

“Hybrids. I'm on house arrest.”

Caroline scoffs, “Says who? Your mom?” She lowers her voice to a whisper, “Come on, let's sneak out.”

“Not my mom, Caroline.”

Caroline frowns confused, and Tyler gives her a pointed look. She gasps in realization, “You're kidding me. Klaus?”

Upstairs in the study, Hayley picks up a picture and looks at it when Klaus appears in the doorway behind her. “You're a new face.”

“And I take it from your accent you're an old one.” Hayley turns around to look up at him. “Klaus.”

He smiles, “My reputation precedes me. Hopefully not all bad.”

Hayley shrugs, “A little bad. Mostly repulsive.”

Klaus moves closer towards her, “So, you're a friend of Tyler's? That's strange, he's never mentioned you.” He quickly tones out their conversation, when he picks up another one downstairs. 

Tyler states, “You should go to the party. I'll be fine here.”

Caroline pouts, “But, I'd rather hang with you.”

“Trust me, I am no fun right now.”

Klaus turns back towards Hayley, with a devilish look on his face. “And I think I know why.”

XX

Klaus sits calmly in the office of the Lockwood Mansion, with his feet up on the desk. Watching as Tyler walks in, he smirks. “She's quite fetching, that Hayley.”

Tyler stops unamused, “Where is she?”

“Oh, she had to run, but don't worry, I had her take the back door, so Caroline wouldn't see.” Klaus tries to ignore the way it makes him angry. The fact that the mutt had a girl over, while Caroline is his girlfriend. 

Tyler walks towards him, “Whatever you think you know...”

“I don't know anything, but I've put together a pretty convincing picture.” He smiles smugly at Tyler, “Why don't you tell me where my imagination deviates from reality?”

Klaus stands up and walks towards Tyler, circling around him as he speaks. “You went off to the Appalachians to break my sire-bond. There, you met a pack of werewolves, begged them for help. Among them was a girl. She was gorgeous, with the same animal instincts as you. Emotions ran high, inhibitions ran low--“

Tyler interrupts him, trying not to growl. “--Stop it!--“

Klaus ignores him, “--Then, in a moment of weakness, the thick sexual tension became something much more real.”

Tyler turns around and faces Klaus yelling, “I said stop!”

Klaus gleefully continues, “And Caroline has no idea.”

Tyler looks back at Klaus flabbergasted, but their conversation is cut off when he’s phone starts to ring. Klaus picks up the phone, sees that it's Damon calling Tyler, and smirks as he sits down in the chair and answers it for him. “Hello, Damon.”

Damon frowns confused, “Klaus? Where's Tyler?”

“Tyler's otherwise occupied, making big decisions about honesty and whatnot. Is there anything I can do?”

“I'm going after the vampire hunter, so if he'd like to join...?”

Klaus nods smiling, “He wouldn't. I, however...” 

XX

The Hunter was exactly what Klaus needed. 

Someone to take his frustration out on. He needed someone to hurt, and Conner was the perfect option. 

Conner grunts, while trying to pull the arrow out of his side. Damon and Klaus stand to the side watching, while the former calls out, “Keep it up, buddy. We'll be scraping you off the ceiling.”

“You two are gonna kill me anyway.”

Klaus smirks, “Well, let's not be too hasty. I feel like we're just getting to know each other!”

“Let's start with the basics. Where are you from? What do you know? Maybe you can cue me in on this “greater evil,” because I've fought this guy,” Damon points towards Klaus, “and there's nothing more evil than that.”

Damon hands Klaus the letter Pastor Young wrote to April that he stole from Connor's trailer, while Klaus smiles in amusement. “Yeah, truth be told, I'm as evil as it gets.”

Connor shakes his head, “I'm not telling you anything. And-- if you think if you kill me, it's gonna be over-- there's another waiting to take my place.”

Damon smirks, “See, this is what I like to hear; vague threats, ominous prophecies, disappearing tattoos.”

Connor looks up at them, while Klaus glazes down at the Hunter and stops smirking. “What do you mean, tattoos?”

Damon scoffs, “Don't bother, you can't see the damn thing.”

Klaus kneels down next to Connor, “There's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there?” Connor looks at him. He attempts to stake Klaus, but Klaus is too quick and catches his arm. “Nice try, but I'm faster than your average vampire.”

Klaus twists his arm and grabs the stake out of his hand. He sees the mark carved into the wood and recognizes it. “You're one of the Five.”

“The what?”

“And I'm faster than your average hunter.”

Damon sees that Connor is about to pull the string to the bomb and rushes out of the room, leaving Connor and Klaus behind. The bomb explodes, making Damon get thrown through the air, landing face down on the floor outside the room. He looks behind him as the massive fireball disperses. 

XX

Klaus enters the bordering house, following the voices up to the bedrooms. Upon seeing him, Stefan gets up and walks towards him. Relieved he states, “You came.”

Klaus nods, “I did. And for future reference, one voicemail is just as effective as nine.” He’s not going to bother stating, that it was Caroline’s voicemail that made him come. Elena moans out in discomfort, making Klaus looks at her. “What's wrong, love?”

He tries to ignores the way he feels as the nickname slips past his lips. The wrong taste it left in his mouth. Stefan states, “She has werewolf venom in her system. You know you're the only one that can heal her, Klaus. Please.”

“And what would you have done if I were no longer here? Hm? If you and your friends had succeeded in ridding the world of me? Let's play that game for a moment, shall we?”

Stefan angrily steps forward, “Whatever you want from me...”

Klaus smiles, “I don't want anything from you.” He walks over towards Elena and sits on the bed next to her. “Her, on the other hand...” He pauses for a moment. “If you had told me a few hours ago, I wouldn't have cared a lick about her dying. But, as it turns out...” He bites into his wrist. “You may be of use to me after all.”

Klaus places his wrist in her mouth and Elena starts drinking his blood. “Yes. There we go.” While he watches the doppelgänger consume the amount she needs. He can’t help, but think of the only time her ever let someone bite him and enjoyed it. 

_** Flashback: ** _

Caroline lays weakly on her side in her bed, with her right arm under her head. Klaus enters the house and smiles slyly at Matt as he passes him. She weakly asks him, “Are you going to kill me?”

Klaus responds softly, “On your birthday? You really think that low of me?”

“Yes.”

He walks up to the edge of the bed, and examines her bite. The wound is yellow and dirty, and he is honestly surprised she can even talk. “That looks bad. My apologies, you're what's known as collateral damage. It's nothing personal.” He touches her bracelet. “I love birthdays.”

Caroline scoffs weakly, “Yeah. Aren't you like...a billion, or something?”

“Well you have to adjust your perception of time when you become a vampire, Caroline. Celebrate the fact that you're no longer bound by trivial human conventions.” He pauses smiling gently. “You're free.”

“No, I'm dying.”

Klaus sits on the bed next to her and whispers to her, “And I could let you die, if that's what you want. If you really believe your existence has no meaning. I thought about it myself, once or twice over the centuries, truth will be told.” 

He pauses, “But I'll let you in on a little secret. There is a whole world out there, waiting for you. Great cities and art and music, genuine beauty. And you can have all of it. You can have a thousand more birthdays.” Klaus smiles, “All you have to do is ask.”

“I don't wanna die.”

Klaus lifts Caroline's head up and offers her his wrist. “There you go, sweetheart. Have at it.” She gently bites into his skin, taking in the warm, thick blood. The best she has ever had.

“Happy Birthday, Caroline.” 

He tries not to think about how it makes him feel. That spark he so desperately tries to ignore, but it doesn’t work. When he leaves that night, after gifting her that special diamond bracelet. 

Klaus can only think about her. 

XX

Caroline opens the front door to the boarding house, while Stefan sits in the parlor with a drink in hand. She calls out, “Hey.”

Stefan looks up from starring mumbling down at the drink, “Hey. Thanks for coming.”

Caroline walks into the room nodding, “Not every day I get summoned by a Salvatore. So, what's up?”

Stefan sighs, “Do you remember what you were like before you turned?”

“You mean an insecure control-freak?” Stefan laughs, while Caroline sits down. “Yeah.” 

Stefan nods, “You grew into yourself when you became a vampire. You changed. And Elena, she's changing too, and I want her to be able to enjoy it, without all the guilt and shame that I went through.” 

He pauses trying to let it all sink in. “And there was a moment today when she did. And when I'm with her, every bone in my body tells me to join her. To enjoy it. But, I know that if I do, even a little, I risk becoming him...the Ripper. I love her, and I don't want to hold her back.”

Caroline nods, starting to understand. “But you don't know how to be around her and still resist that urge.”

“Damon promised he'd help me stay off the edge, but he and I...we're not in a very good place right now. Not when it comes to her. I just thought, you're so good at it, at being a vampire.”

Caroline laughs, “Because of you, Stefan. I'm good at it because of you. Come to me, whenever you want, and I won't let you lose control.”

XX

Connor wakes up confused on the couch in his trailer. He attempts to get up, but is pushed back down by Klaus. “You saved me.”

Klaus nods, “Congratulations, you just became worth more to me alive than dead.”

Connor frowns, “What-what did you mean when you said I was one of the Five?”

“You don't know your own history?” Klaus kneels down next to him. “Well, let's just say, it's made you the most well-protected vampire hunter in town.”

XX

She didn’t know what to feel. 

She could tell that someone was home, because a couple of the lights were in inside the house, but she scared. It had been ten years since she had last seen anyone in this damn town. Caroline and Liz. Probably the only people she even missed. 

She steps out of the cab confidently, but on the inside she's getting cut up by glass. “Thank you,” she says softly. Handing the cab driving a 100 dollar bill, before shuts the back door. 

Walking towards the house is one of her worse experiences, and that’s saying a lot for someone like her. 

Stepping onto the porch, she gently knocks against the door three times. She starts playing around nervously with her jacket sleeve. 

She looks up as the door opens. Elizabeth Forbes, stands there shocked. Even though she knew the brunette was coming, it still was a shock after all these years. 

The brunette brushes her hair behind her ear, before whispering, “Hello Liz.” 

“Alice.” 

XX

Did you see the sparks filled with hope?

You are not alone

'Cause someone's out there, 

sending out flares

Flares:  The Script

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any questions?


End file.
